Zebra and Wildebeest are Friends with Benefits (2024)

FAQs

Are zebras and wildebeest friends? ›

Zebras and wildebeest have developed a great relationship and can benefit one another.

The herd of zebra joins the wildebeest migration as they are great in looking at any threat. The wildebeest have a good sense of hearing and smell that helps both to protect from the predator and searching in food. The zebra has a great eye sight to see any threat.

One reason is that Zebras love to eat the taller grass and Wildebeest the shorter grass – it's a kind of symbiosis. There is no competition regarding food and everyone is happy.

It's no coincidence that the zebra and wildebeest are BFFs. They naturally protect and provide for each other. Both zebras and wildebeests are grazers, which means the diets of both species consist of grass.

Since they consume the same grass but different parts, zebras and wildebeests each have their own distinctive eating habits and depends on each other. In open grasslands and open savannah grasslands, zebras and wildebeests enjoy grazing. Each has a distinct sense of humor.

7) Zebras are social animals and live together in large groups, called herds. As they migrate to new feeding grounds, 'super herds' may form consisting of thousands of individuals. They may team up with other grazers on their travels, too, such as antelope and wildebeest.

The research team, led by Wake Forest University professor of biology T. Michael Anderson, demonstrates that wildebeest and zebra compete for the best parts of the tall grasses that cover Serengeti.

Based on what I see, the zebra wins with difficulty due to it's superior kicks, speed, and aggressive disposition.

They Are Social Animals

The majority of zebras lead fairly social lives. Plains zebras live in small family groups, called harems, with one male, one to six females, and their offspring. The bonds of the females in the harem are strong; they will stay together even if their dominant male leaves or is killed.

Pratt and Gwynne (1977, p. 233) report that “(zebras) compete with cattle for grass and water and often concentrate on areas that are nominally being rested from grazing”.

Which is bigger, zebra or wildebeest? ›

At 230 kg, the zebra is heavier than the wildebeest (180 kg) and would crush the frail gazelle (20 kg).

And there are so many reasons why: They're very hostile and very aggressive, that means you can't domesticate them easily. They have a ducking reflex which makes them very hard to lasso in the first place. They have no family structure and no hierarchy (horses have herds and even a structured order)

Lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and cheetahs are among zebras' natural predators. However, the largest threats to zebras are linked to human activities, such as hunting and habitat loss or fragmentation.

Wildebeest are known to prefer short grasses, while zebras prefer longer ones. This creates a mutually beneficial relationship between the two species, as they are able to share the same grazing grounds without competing for food. An implausibility of wildebeest stands grazing in one of the open crests of Londolozi.

Wail. The wail is a long and lingering cry made by young zebras in distress.

Blue Wildebeest often interact with other plains game such as zebras. These two wild animals eat different parts of the same grass and so there is no need to compete for food. With this, they can coexist peacefully.

Lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and cheetahs are among zebras' natural predators. However, the largest threats to zebras are linked to human activities, such as hunting and habitat loss or fragmentation.

But did you know that in the real world they really are friends! Whilst they are quite different animals, they share the same habitat and, being herbivores, the same type of diet. They work naturally together, hoof-in-hoof, to survive in the African savannah.